Macrow stunning in Fujitsu opener.

Championship favourite Adam Macrow has taken out race one of the Clipsal 500 support race for the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

by Matthew Agius.

Championship favourite Adam Macrow has taken out race one of the Clipsal 500 support race for the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

Driving for Howard Racing again in 2006, Macrow started from fourth on the grid to cruise to hold off Michael Caruso for victory after polesitter Mark Porter, Matthew White and Kayne Scott all became embroiled in incidents throughout the race, with Grant Denyer finishing third for Dick Johnson Racing.

It was a well-earned victory for Adam Macrow who is one of the hot favourites to contest the 2006 Fujitsu Series title. Michael Caruso's second place in the Decina BA Falcon was his first podium in the series and he too is looking promising for a good finish in the second race this weekend.

Grant Denyer led Dick Johnson Racing's charge with a strong third place - only seconds behind Macrow and Caruso.

It was a horror run for polesitter Mark Porter. The M-Sport Hydraulink driver - who has been the quickest driver so far this weekend - bogged down at the start of the race, and then was given a Pit Lane Penalty after being deemed to have jumped the start.

After inheriting the race lead after Porter's misdemeanour, Matthew White, returning to the series after a year with Fujitsu Racing in the main league, was forced to pit-in with car problems, which allowed Macrow to seize the lead of the race.

Local driver Jay Verdnik brought out the safety car after spinning on East Terrace, before in a bizarre twist, debutant Marcus La Delle smashed into the exit wall of the turn eight sweeper under yellow flag, and prolonged the safety car period leaving only two racing laps at the end of the evening.

There were some good news stories from the event as well. In his first full time race in the series, Nathan Pretty drove from seventeenth to sixth in his Smith Trucks Commodore, whilst GMAC Racing's Tony D'Alberto once again held the Holden flag high - with a solid fourth placing and the fastest lap of the race.

Perkins Engineering drivers Shane Price and Jack Perkins endured tough starts to their V8 careers. Price gained six positions to finish eleventh by the end of the night, but Jack Perkins (son of Bathurst legend and father Larry) finished dead last.

The final race for the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series will be run on Saturday morning as a curtain raiser to the first 250-kilometre leg of the V8 Supercars Clipsal 500 Adelaide.